


Inferno

by LazuliAlekto



Series: Burn [3]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Fluff and Smut, M/M, brought on by despair, eating issues, not a full on disorder
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-10
Updated: 2018-01-10
Packaged: 2019-03-03 02:39:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13331757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazuliAlekto/pseuds/LazuliAlekto
Summary: Ignis has spent years trying to get over Noct, but hasn't.  He's become someone he doesn't recognise and when he has the chance to return to Insomnia, he's on the first ferry, but adrenaline and desire will only take him so far.He doesn't even know if Noct will see him.And Noct...he just wants HIS Ignis back, not this shadow that has come before him.





	Inferno

 

  Ignis’ shoes made little noise on the marble floor save for a soft click-click.

  It had been five years since he’d walked this hallway, five years since he’d been in the Citadel, five years since he had seen his King.

  His sojourn in Accordo as a diplomat had only been brought to a close with the death of King Regis and the sole ascension of Noctis.  The Ring of the Lucii, receptacle for the wisdom of the past Kings of Lucis, would now pass to Noctis.  It was time for him to come home.

  Home and to Noctis.

  And Ignis had never been more terrified in his life.  He didn’t know what waited for him, whether he would even _see_ Noctis.  Apparently hardly anyone saw the King these days.  The Queen was another matter.  Luna was here and there, constantly in the media, all over magazine covers.  But the King was a virtual recluse if social media could be believed.  Ignis had avoided it studiously while he was away but when he couldn’t get any information out of his friends in regards to the King he’d logged on to see what the world had to say.  Plenty, if any of it could be believed.  Ignis had almost fallen off his chair when he read the latest.  Luna and Nyx were quite openly together, magazine articles discussing the decoration of their home on the edge of the city limits.  A hospital ward opening here, theatre nights there.  No-one seemed to care.  He searched for over an hour before he found something on Noctis, the opening of an orphanage.  He focused on the picture of the King, eyes like bruises, gaunt and no smile.  It broke his heart to see him like that.  He knew it was his fault.  He knew how Noct felt because for five years he’d felt the same.

  It was a mistake, he realised.  They should have ridden out the scandal, he should have put his heart before duty, should have seen that leaving had been the cowards way of dealing with it.  He’d torn his own heart out and had ripped Noct’s to shreds.  He didn’t know if it could be repaired, if the damage was too deep.  In the private recesses of his shattered heart, he dared to hope.

  Prompto and Gladio had begged him not to leave, pleading with him.  He’d stood firm.  Sworn them to secrecy.  He thought he knew what was best, he wanted to save Noct from the scandal.  Even Luna had told him to come back when she discovered he’d gone, that he was being stupid, that Noct needed him.  Yet in his panic he’d thought he knew better.  He hadn’t.  He knew that the moment he turned away from Noctis that last time five years ago and walked away, legs feeling like lead, heart in pieces, trying to shut the thought of Noct’s harsh sobbing out, of Noct laying on his bed crying when he realised that Ignis was gone.

  They had talked around in circles, then argued the same circles.  Every night he’d gone to his lonely chambers, rooms that he hadn’t slept in for years, and wept.  From the reddened eyes that met his when he saw the man he loved, Noct had done the same.  He thought distance would help.  It didn’t.

  Altissia was lovely, but he hated it.  He couldn’t see the beauty of the Walls of Water, took no solace in the peace of the city.  He had been miserable every moment he was there.  It showed in his demeanour, cold and controlled in public, rebuffing any and all advances, he was there to work and work he did.  He took no joy in that either, not like he had when he had been by Noct’s side.  It just hadn’t felt right.  It was as if his world had tilted on its axis and he’d never gotten his footing since leaving Lucis.

  His heart would ache unbearably when he saw Noct’s signature and seal on documents, tracing his fingers over the ink, knowing Noct’s hand had been on the paper.  Nights after those days were the worst.  The next day he would be short tempered and his staff would know to avoid him at all costs.  He hated what he became in Accordo.

  The only time he had felt some semblance of peace had been the moment he stepped aboard the ship back to Lucis, back to Noctis.

  He halted outside the chamber and took a deep breath, it was only Prompto and Gladio that he was seeing, Noct didn’t grant audiences unless it was urgent so he hadn’t asked.  He thought he had most likely hurt the King too much to dare ask for one, that and the fear he would decline, or maybe the fear that he would accept.  Ignis didn’t know.

  The last communications between them had been harsh and angry on Noct’s part, resigned and sad on Ignis’ and then the calls and texts stopped.  He hadn’t been relieved by that, it only hurt more, felt like Noct wanted to forget it all, though he knew neither of them could.  They had loved too deeply and too completely for that to be possible.

  He wasn’t prepared from the indifference in Gladio’s tone when he walked through the door.

  “So, you’re back,” was the Shield’s astute observation.

  “It would appear so, Gladio, I am needed here,” Ignis responded quietly wincing at the complete lack of warmth in the greeting.

  “You were needed here five years ago,” Prompto blurted angrily and turned away.

  “I am sorry,” was all he could think to say.  “I thought it…best…prudent that I…” he added.

  “Yeah, well, it wasn’t,” the little blonde spat out, his back still turned.

  “How…how is he?” Ignis asked, voice low and quiet.

  “Grieving,” Gladio’s voice a deep rumble.  “He won’t see anyone.”

  “Oh…do you…would he see me?” Ignis said as he looked at the patterns on the carpet.

  Gladio huffed and Ignis met his gaze hesitantly, “I don’t know, Ignis, he knows you’re back, but he won’t talk about it.  He shuts down when your name is mentioned.”

  “How could you?  How could you walk away from him like he was nothing to you?” Prompto rounded on him, the fury in his voice making Ignis step back.

  Ignis took a deep breath to calm himself.  “I left because he meant everything to me, I couldn’t be the cause of him losing the respect of the populace.”

  “Yeah and how’d that work, not too well I think, he lets Luna rule while he…” Prompto shouted and then stilled, “he’s not Noct,” he added morosely.  “It’s like he…died when you left.”

  “I thought to spare him the shame, Prompto.”

  “He was never ashamed of you, Iggy, it would have blown over, Luna’s with Nyx in the open, no-one cares as long as they can carry on with their lives,” Prompto told him.  “It seems to me you were the one who was ashamed.”

  “No, it was never that, I thought it was…” Ignis faltered.

  “For someone with such a big brain you can be pretty stupid,” put in Gladio as he crossed his arms over his chest and gave Ignis a flat stare.  “You ran away, never took you for a coward, guess I was wrong, huh?”

  “I love him,” Ignis shouted losing all control and stopped, running a hand through his hair, “I didn’t want to cause him pain and I realise it was a mistake to leave, I knew that straight away, but…” he said brokenly.

  “Iggy, he was in more pain because of what you did than if you’d stayed and everyone had worked it out,” Prompto said, moving closer he took Ignis’ hand.  “I think I get why, but it did more damage than good,” he paused and looked up at him, “to both of you, you look like shit.”

  Ignis shook his head ruefully, “I don’t care about that, Prompto.”

  “Well, you should, you look sick,” Gladio put in, frowning as he appraised Ignis’ condition.  He flushed under the sharp attention, he knew he looked bad, he’d lost weight and hadn’t been training consistently, the bones in his face stood out, he looked gaunt and pale.  “Have you been ill?”

  “No…not exactly,” he hedged, not willing to tell them he hardly ate, food tasting like dust in his mouth.

  Prompto narrowed his eyes as he took in Ignis’ face and body, painfully thin, “do you eat?”

  Ignis tried to shrug nonchalantly, “of course I do.”

  “Yeah, but not enough, seriously dude, I could knock you down with a fuckin’ feather and Gladio would snap you like a twig.”

  Ignis frowned at Prompto’s words and bristled, “I’m fine, thank you.”

  “You are not,” spat Gladio as he circled Ignis’ bicep with his hand.  “Shit, you’re skin and bones.  When did you last eat?”

  “On the ferry,” he lied.  It had in fact been the day before, he’d forced himself to sit down and eat a salad for lunch, feeling light headed and weak.

  “You’re still a bad liar, Ignis, when?” Gladio insisted.

  “Lunch, yesterday,” he admitted quietly and Prompto sucked in a sharp breath.

  “And before that?” Prompto prodded, concern on his freckled face.

  Ignis tried to think, “I…I am not sure.”  He sighed, “it doesn’t matter, I’ll be fine, I’ll eat something later.”

  “No!  You will eat something now.”

  All three of them startled and turned to find Noctis standing in the shadows at the back of the room.  Prompto and Gladio backed away from Ignis, leaving him standing in the middle of the room, his eyes drinking in the sight of the man he adored as he stepped closer, then he inhaled sharply as he made out the features of his King.  He went down on one knee awkwardly and kept his head bowed as Noct came closer.

  “Your Majesty,” he whispered, his voice almost gone in shock.

  “Leave us,” Noct said quietly to Gladio and Prompto waiting for them to obey before he spoke again, Ignis still on his knees.  “Get up.”

  Ignis tried, but fatigue held him where he was, “I don’t think I can,” he murmured pitifully ashamed of how weak he really felt, adrenaline had kept him going up to this point and now that was gone.  His joints ached and protested as he tried to rise and he gasped painfully when he crashed back to the floor.  “I’m sorry,” his voice came out as a croak.

  “Shit,” Noct swore and lent down to assist him to his feet, it just made Ignis feel worse and he burst into tears.  Noct knelt down beside him and wiped at his face with his sleeve.  “Why did you let this happen?”

  Ignis hid his face in his hands, “I…it just happened, I…” he blurted between his fingers, then looked up at Noct who pulled his hands away.  “I am sorry, so very sorry, Noct.”

  “Hey, not now, ok?  Please, just let me help you up, we’ll…talk later.”  Noct looked away and wrapped his arm around Ignis’ waist, frowning at how thin he was as he helped him stand shakily.  “How have you been functioning?  You were always at me to eat properly and look at you, I could pick you up and carry you.”

  “I…”

  “No, shut it, you’re going to eat if I have to fucking force feed you myself.”  Noct grumbled as he led Ignis out of the room, directly through the back door, straight into the hall leading to his chambers and Ignis baulked at the doorway shooting Noct a panicked glance.  Noct ignored it and ushered him through making him sit on the couch in the sitting room.  Noct took out his phone and dialled, “can you send something up, it needs to be light, but something for someone who hasn’t been eating a lot, no empty carbs and ask one of the medical staff to come up please.”

  “It’s not necessary, please, don’t…”

  “Don’t what?  Don’t give a shit about you wasting away?” Noct spat as he turned to face him, “I might not be looking that great myself, but at least I know to feed myself, sleeping is a problem, but it always has been…except…” Noct trailed off and Ignis knew he meant that he’d been able to sleep with him by his side.  “How did this happen, Ignis?” Noct said quietly as he knelt on the floor beside him.

  “Nothing…tastes right…or I would be so busy I would forget and then it felt like too much bother, it’s been a gradual thing, I didn’t notice…I didn’t do it on purpose,” Ignis tried to explain.

  Noct shushed him and they waited in silence for the food and the member of the medical staff to arrive.

  Once the nurse looked him over and took his blood pressure, and several samples to test, she urged Ignis to eat, slowly and not too much at first, but advised him to increase his intake gradually while his stomach adjusted and then to undertake a little light exercise once he began to regain weight.  He nodded dumbly, agreeing to everything as long as they would leave him alone.  Alone with Noctis.

  Who was watching him like a griffon watching prey, noting every small mouthful he took.

  “Better?” Noct asked him when he swallowed the last bite.  He nodded shyly, his gaze on his now empty plate, shocked he’d eaten so much.  He didn’t feel quite so weak.

  “Thank you,” he murmured.  “Do you…hate me?” he asked when he looked up.

  “I tried to, it didn’t work,” Noct admitted as he shuffled over so that they were almost touching.  “I get why you thought you had to, but why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I…I was incredibly stupid…I thought it would be easier…”

  “It wasn’t though, was it?” Noct asked quietly as he took Ignis hand, stroking over the skin stretched over the bones, his touch warm and soft.

  “No, it wasn’t.  I know I did the wrong thing, to run away, I knew straight away it was wrong, I’ve hated every moment since,” he confessed.

  “There’s been no-one else?”

  Ignis looked up sharply, seeing the worry in Noct’s eyes, “no, never, there could never be…no,” he shook his head and Noct visibly relaxed.  “Who would want me like this anyway?” he tried to make a joke out of it.

  “I do,” Noct whispered.  “I mean, I want you better, but, I just want _you_ , only you, always you,” he said, voice hushed.  “No-one cares what I do, Ignis, please, don’t say we can’t, or I swear I will fucking abdicate and Luna can be Queen-Regent until our son is old enough to rule, please…I still love you,” he said, his eyes pleading with Ignis, hand tightening over his own.

  Ignis swallowed and he looked down at their hands, then up at Noct and smiled softly, “I love you too, always.”  They lent their foreheads together, just being together after so long, neither making a move to take things further.  “Do you forgive me?”

  “Ignis…I forgave you a long time ago, I just…I just couldn’t…it was like I was dead inside.  Everyone tried to…” he trailed off, their eyes meeting in understanding.

  “Noct, can I kiss you?”

  Noct smiled, “yeah, but no more than that…not until you are stronger,” he admonished, waving a finger in his face.  Ignis gave him a contrite glance and nodded.

  Noct cupped his face and for the first time in five years Ignis felt whole as their lips met, sweet and chaste, the kiss still made him tingle.

  A week of sleeping and eating helped restore him somewhat, regaining some of the lost weight.  He had a long way to go, but food had regained its taste and he was able to increase his intake steadily so that he was soon eating proper sized meals, Noct still watching every mouthful.  His King would stroke his cheeks and praise the way they were starting to fill out again and the hollows under both their eyes were less deep.  He’d not left the King’s chambers in that first week, he found he didn’t want to as Noct spent most of his time there with him, having any papers he needed to look over brought directly to him, but by the end of that week Ignis started to express an interest in them and Noct begrudgingly let him go through them, grumbling that he was not to overdo it.

  Ignis smiled softly at his King, “it’s only paperwork, I can handle that, I am not an invalid, Noct.”

  “This begs to differ,” Noct said, his fingers coasting over still far too prominent hip bones and Ignis squirmed at the touch, wanting more, yet still ashamed of how he looked.  He’d assessed his body in the mirror in the bathroom and had been shocked.  He’d ignored his own reflection while in Altissia, disgusted with himself, but now he could see just how bad it had gotten and was no longer surprised that Gladio and Prompto thought he was ill.  “We’ll start you training again soon, once you are a bit stronger.”  He nodded in agreement at the King’s words and gave him a shy smile.  “I want to see…I want _my_ Ignis back.”

  “I understand, Noct,” he murmured, head down, “I know it’s not…I’m not…I look awful.”

  “Hey, none of that, you’re still beautiful, I meant I want the Ignis that could kick my ass, the Ignis that can throw me over his shoulder, the Ignis that…”

  “Oh,” he said quietly, now comprehending what Noct meant.

  “The Ignis that would sass my ass and not be so…compliant, please…stop acting like you’re going to be punished or something, it’s not _you_.  You’re…skittish and that’s not _my_ Ignis.  Fretting, pissed off, making people quake in their boots, yeah, but not hiding, Ignis.” Noct pleaded with him.

  “I…I am just not sure…I did not wish to…Noct, I love you, but I hurt you, badly,” he said quietly.

  “I told you, it’s forgiven, I understand, and I love you, so just accept it and…be _you._ ”

  Ignis inhaled sharply, Noct wanted the assertive, confident Ignis, the one who didn’t take no for an answer, the one who could put someone in their place with just a look and Ignis wanted to be that man again, not just for Noct, but for himself.

  He went over a new dietary plan, one that would assist with him building up his muscle tone and then began a light regime of training, first on his own, mainly stretching and simple slash and parry with his daggers, but after a few weeks he asked Gladio to work with him on strength training.

  Noct still hadn’t touched him intimately and that hurt a little, especially as he was looking more and more like the Ignis that had left Insomnia, until he pondered Noct’s words.

  That thought in mind he strode confidently to the King’s chamber and opening the door he found Noct at his desk in the little study off his sitting room.  Noct looked up and he gave a little smile when he saw Ignis standing in the doorway, smirk on his lips, familiar brightness to his green eyes behind the lenses of his glasses.  Ignis sashayed forward and pushed Noct’s chair back from his desk, straddling the King’s lap with his long legs and bent down, capturing Noct’s mouth with his own, delving his tongue in and truly tasting Noct for the first time since his return.  Every pent up emotion he’d held back for so long he poured into the kiss, his fingers curled possessively in Noct’s hair as he held him still for his mouth to ravage, their tongues curling around each other, both panting harshly through their noses.  When Ignis felt his King reach for his hips to grind them together he smirked a little against Noct’s mouth and stood up, leaving Noct to try to chase his retreating mouth and whine at the loss of contact.

  He heard a dark little chuckle as he left the study, “there’s my Ignis,” his words a touch breathless.

  Ignis strolled to the bathroom and peeled his clothes off, peering at his form in the full length mirror, taking in the re-emergence of tone and definition, running his hands over his stomach, hmm, not quite there yet, but close.  He smiled at himself and turned on the shower, stepping under the spray once the water had heated to the perfect temperature.  He hummed to himself as he lathered his body, washing luxuriously knowing he had an audience.  He nonchalantly washed his hair and heard Noct step closer, his shoes ringing out on the tiles.  When he turned the water off he turned to find Noct watching every move he made, reaching for a towel he dried himself slowly, making each swipe a show for his King.  He slung the towel around his hips and pushed his damp hair out of his eyes, moving to the sink to shave and Noct gave an amused huff as he brushed past ignoring him.  This was a familiar game and one that Noctis appreciated immensely.

  “Are you going to stand there and ogle me or get in the shower, love?” Ignis drawled as he ran the razor over his jaw, meeting Noct’s eyes in the mirror, Noct laughing and starting to strip off.   By the time he was done with his shave and had wiped his face clean, Noct was washing his hair furiously, trying to be as quick as possible, and it made Ignis chuckle darkly.

  He padded to the bedroom, still only in his towel, pulling back the covers on the bed, he pulled the towel away tossing it onto the chest he laid himself on the sheets and waited.

  “That was quick, my love,” he said quietly when Noct appeared in the doorway and halted at the sight of Ignis sprawled on display.  He crooked his finger and beckoned him closer, Noct almost warping to the bed.  Noct gave him a hungry look, but he wasn’t sweeping his gaze up and down Ignis’ naked body, his eyes were fixed on his face.  Ignis loved him for it all the more.  He surged up and grasped Noct around his waist, hauling him onto the bed so they could tangle together. 

  Their kiss was slow and sensual at first, but as the fire ignited in Ignis’ blood it turned into something consuming, his hands fisted in Noct’s damp onyx hair, their legs entwined, he dragged his toes up Noct’s calf, pulling them even closer, so that their entire bodies were touching, but still they hardly moved, not wanting to do anything other than experience this kiss, glory in it, etch this reunion in their memories.

  Despite how long it had been, neither man wanted to rush this, they weren’t in any hurry.

  Noct dragged his nails up Ignis’ back, leaving blushing lines in his wake, his tongue chasing Ignis’ as their breath on each other’s face became harsh.  When Ignis moved his hands from Noct’s hair it was to touch wherever he could reach, his fingers devoted and reverent, adoring as he explored, feeling every dip and plane of the King’s form, every inch of skin precious to him.  They pulled their mouths apart slowly and their eyes met, stormy blue to bright green, staring at each other silently for long moments.  Ignis brought a hand up and traced a finger over Noct’s kiss swollen lips, eyes mapping every feature of Noct’s lovely face.

  “I love you, I will never leave you again, never,” he whispered, his voice hoarse.

  “I know,” Noct whispered back, “I love you too, Ignis, we’re meant to be together.”

  “Yes, always, my love,” Ignis asserted.

  “Always,” Noct agreed breathlessly, tipping his head back in for another kiss, one Ignis was only too happy to give.  Nothing else mattered to him, only Noct, only being by his side.  He no longer cared if the whole world knew what Noct was to him, people could say what they would, he finally understood that he could weather any storm with Noct there to guide him and he to guide Noct.  He was determined that Noct would take back the reigns of power from Luna, show Lucis that he truly was their King, not a shadow in the background.  Not a ghost of the Citadel.  He wanted them to see what he saw, what he knew Noctis to be.

  Ignis urged Noct to roll on top of him, letting his legs cradle him, his gasp when they rubbed together swallowed by his King’s mouth, sparks shooting through his veins, his toes curling against the sheets, his hands coaxing Noct to grind into him harder as he canted his hips up, a slow roll.

  His hands wandered down the planes of Noct’s back, down to his ass and he pulled them closer still, the friction blissful as they ground against each other, their chests rubbing, mouths flush, tongues curling together.  Ignis wrapped his legs around Noct’s waist, hooking his ankles together to hold his King in place, his arms moving back up to Noct’s face, gently caressing over cheek bones and jaw. 

  When Noct finally entered him, Ignis felt he was home, complete, all the pieces of his wounded soul together at last.  He clutched Noct to him, panting into each other’s mouths as his King rocked into him slowly, savouring every glide in and out.

  “You’re beautiful,” Noct murmured into his neck as he tossed his head back, loving the feel of plump lips on his throat, loving the fire racing through his veins, loving the low growl Noct gave when he tightened around him.  He rocked his hips up, urging Noct deeper inside, crying out as the bundle of nerves inside were brushed over, his own erection weeping between their stomachs, trapped and rubbed with each movement.

  He’d never been able to forget how this felt, to have Noct take him, or how it felt to be inside Noct, becoming one, melding their souls in the fire of their passion.  Feeling it in reality now, it was overwhelming, almost too much to bear.  Dreaming about it almost every night while they were apart had been painful.  Dreaming about it since his return had fired him in a way he’d not experienced in what felt like an age.  Feeling Noct grind into him, filling him, making him whole had tears burning his eyes, choked cries falling from his lips as he clutched Noct to him, needy and desperate for his touch.

  Noct rolled, entwinning his legs around one of Ignis’, the other he moved to rest on his shoulder, the new angle making Ignis cry out with every thrust.  He twisted his fingers in the sheets, arching his back up off the bed, his hips rocking as Noct took him.  Reaching down he gripped Noct’s hand in his own and squeezed, Noct looking up at him as he thrust.  Ignis couldn’t tear his gaze away, tears falling over his cheeks.  His King shot him a worried glance and made to move, but Ignis shook his head and offered a shaky smile.  His tears weren’t to indicate pain, they were joyous.

  Ignis shuffled and settled himself over Noctis, groaning in appreciation as he sank down on the hard shaft, letting his thighs slip further apart, both of them gasping as Ignis took him in deeper.  Slow, deliberate rolls of his hips, keeping the fire burning in his gut, bending down to thrust his tongue into Noct’s mouth, chasing the delicious taste of him.

  “Gods, Ignis,” Noct murmured against his neck as Ignis lifted his hips and slammed back down, his own cock bouncing between them, untouched and flushed, weeping and coating their stomachs with his pre-come.

  He could feel his release building, Noct trying to thrust up into him desperately.

  Ignis lifted up off Noct and shifted to his elbows and knees, his ass in the air, and Noct growled, moving to kneel between his parted thighs, one hand low on Ignis’ back, the other twisted in his hair tugging his head back as he plunged in.

  “Ohhh, Noct…” Ignis moaned, twisting his head to look over his shoulder at the flushed face of his King.

  “Fuck, I have…missed…that…hearing you,” Noct ground out.

  “Harder, love…please,” Ignis begged, voice hoarse as he rocked back to meet Noct.  His King’s hips rolling faster and deeper, urgent now, starting to pound into Ignis’ ass.  His thighs slipping wider, elbows giving out, his chest thudded onto the bed, and Noct chased him, leaning over his back as his hips pistoned into Ignis, hand reaching down and under to grasp at the neglected cock that swung between his legs.

  Ignis clenched, over and over, the twin sensations shoving him so far over the edge he screamed Noct’s name, clawing at the sheets, covering his thighs, stomach and the sheet below in his come, quivering, thighs shaking as he lost feeling in his legs, his gut flipping, tight as a coiled spring until he let go entirely, collapsing into the mess.  Noct shuddered above him, laying over his back, cock buried as deep as he could get it, pulsing inside Ignis, mouthing at Ignis’ taut neck, mumbling his praise and adoration with every harsh breath.

  Ignis eventually came to, his vision returned, Noct still slumped over him.

  It was moments between them like this that Ignis understood how orgasm was sometimes called the ‘little death’, yet it was so much more than that.  The euphoria and elation of their love making had always astounded him, the oneness that he felt, mirrored in Noct’s cries and expression, it took them both to a place where no-one else could follow, a place solely theirs.

  Noct grunted and Ignis hissed as his King pulled out of him, a dribble making its way from his ass to his balls, but Ignis was feeling too sated and lazy to care, so when Noct rolled on to his side, Ignis twisted over to curl into his embrace, snuggling his head into Noct’s shoulder, their panting breaths the only sound in the room, legs tangled together, sticky with sweat and other fluids, Noct’s fingers tracing circles over his back.

  “I’d marry you in a heartbeat if I could, Ignis,” Noct murmured into his hair.

  “I know, however, it’s perfectly alright, my love, as long as I am with you, nothing else matters,” Ignis whispered.

  “I mean it, here…” he said pulling back and bringing the hand with his wedding ring close, slipping it down his finger.  Ignis stared at his King’s finger, the delicate rendering of his name tattooed there.  “In here,” he said, placing his hand over his heart, “we already are.”

  “Oh, Noct…” Ignis said, choking back sobs, he tilted his head up and captured Noct’s mouth in a kiss that said what he was incapable of in that moment.  “Who did this for you?” he asked eventually.

  “Prompto knows him, he’s good, and won’t say anything.”

  “No, I don’t care about that, Noct, I want to do the same,” Ignis said, meeting Noct’s eyes.

  “But, it’ll be seen, are you sure…” Noct began but was cut off with another kiss from Ignis.

  “I don’t care who sees it, I am yours, love,” Ignis asserted.  Noct smiled at him softly, stroking his cheekbone, and Ignis leaned into the touch.

  “So, if I told you that Luna consented to a divorce, that she will be Lady Luna again, and that I want to marry you, properly, what would you say?”

  Ignis was speechless, mouth dropped open, then snapped shut, a huge grin tweaking at his lips, “really?”  Noct nodded, amused at Ignis’ stunned expression.  “When did…how?”

  “I asked her the day you came back, she’s pretty happy with the arrangement, it means she can marry Nyx.  I took one look at you and I knew I couldn’t stay married to her, regardless of how things had been, she can still do everything she’s been doing, that doesn’t have to change, we provided heirs, the public don’t care what we do, she’s been proving _that_ for years,” Noct told him.  “Now are you going to answer me?  Will you, Ignis, will you marry me?”

  “Gods, yes!” Ignis blurted, “of course I will.”

  Noct smiled and pulled the wedding ring off his finger entirely and placed it on the bedside table, leaving Ignis’ name in full view, bringing that hand up to cup Ignis cheek again and sealing their promise with a kiss.

 


End file.
